Fading empire finds hope, solace in new Waffle Taco

posted at 6:41 pm on February 24, 2014 by Allahpundit

To cleanse the palate, when was the last time we had an old-fashioned “insane gluttony” thread? I remember writing two or three dozen posts about the KFC Double Down back in the day, but not since Starbucks unveiled the coffee bigger than a human stomach have we paused to marvel at America’s descent into dietary madness, I think.

There are 846 results for the term “waffle taco” on Google News as I write this, such is our nation’s interest in fast-food chains rolling out unorthodox new can-you-top-this offerings. Can’t decide between scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast or a big fluffy waffle with syrup on it? Good news — now you don’t need to.

[Taco Bell] says the waffle taco, which includes scrambled eggs, sausage and a side of syrup, was the top seller during breakfast hours at the five Southern California restaurants where they were tested earlier this year. Now the company wants to see how it would fare on a bigger scale; the waffle tacos and a full breakfast menu will be expanded to about 100 restaurants in Fresno, Calif.; Omaha, Neb.; and Chattanooga, Tenn., starting Thursday…

Taco Bell isn’t alone in trying to serve food in different parts of the day. Since restaurant chains are already paying for fixed costs of such as rent and electricity, the thinking is that they want to ring up as many sales as possible throughout the day, not just during the busy lunch and dinner hours. In industry jargon, executives often refer to this concept as “expanding dayparts.”…

Since they were introduced in March, the waffle tacos have undergone some tweaks, including the frying time and temperature, Niccol said. The shape of the taco, which has 460 calories and 30 grams of fat, was changed to make it easier to hold the stuffing.

Also on the new TB breakfast menu: The magnificently named “A.M. Crunchwrap” (which doesn’t appear to have anything crunchy in it) and, for the more diet-conscious, some sort of Cinnabon concoction. The LA Times tried the Waffle Taco last year when it was being test-run in California and found it “mushy” and “rubbery,” i.e. fast food, but the promotional effort has been sensational. Not only is it getting wide coverage in media, as noted, but “Taco Bell” was trending earlier on Twitter.

Having been backed into a corner by TB’s bold breakfast gambit, McDonald’s now has no choice but to go nuclear:

McDonald’s is in the early stages of looking at whether it can make breakfast available later in the day…

McDonald’s has long entertained the idea of serving breakfast throughout the day. But the chain has been inching closer to making the idea a reality as it faces heightened competition and slumping sales. Last year, for example, the company began offering an “After Midnight” menu at select locations. The menu, available from midnight to 4 a.m., consisted of a limited mix of breakfast and lunch items so kitchen operations wouldn’t be overwhelmed.

The push to make breakfast outside normal hours also reflects how McDonald’s is working to keep pace with shifting habits. In particular, executives have noted that customers increasingly want foods personalized to their tastes and schedules.

As Taco Bell gobbles up some of McDonald’s breakfast market, McD’s gobbles up some of TB’s dinner clientele with the promise of all-day McMuffins. From there the escalation will be steady and ruefully predictable: Taco Bell extends its breakfast menu to all hours, then McDonald’s releases the Bacon Mac served on bacon strips instead of a bun, then TB counters with the Triple Bacon Burrito dipped in Bacon, and soon they’re putting together special “all bacon” menus to maximize their social-media presence. This way lies madness, my friends. But, as with American decline, I fear it’s inevitable.

Did any of our California readers try this thing? ‘Fess up. Exit question: Isn’t this basically just … a McGriddle?

Blowback

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Did any of our California readers try this thing? ‘Fess up. Exit question: Isn’t this basically just … a McGriddle?

No. The Jack in the Box sandwich is basically a McGriddle, substituting the pancake for waffles. This is basically the Jack in the Box sandwich minus one waffle. I asked my boy if the waffles (of the Jack in the Box sandwich) were infused with syrup like the pancakes of the McGriddle, but his answer was unreliable since he’s only 4.

I avoid fast food as much as possible, but if you were TB, why the sausage? The whole greatness of TexMex is that it is all the same stuff — spicy meat, spicy chicken, tortillas, cheese, salsa, etc — in different forms. For breakfast all they had to do was add eggs to tacos, burritos, etc. This sounds like extreme over-reach to me. Why bill yourself as TexMex at all? What are they going to have next? The Taco Bell chinese menu? Stupid.

The whole greatness of TexMex is that it is all the same stuff — spicy meat, spicy chicken, tortillas, cheese, salsa, etc — in different forms. For breakfast all they had to do was add eggs to tacos, burritos, etc. This sounds like extreme over-reach to me. Why bill yourself as TexMex at all? What are they going to have next? The Taco Bell chinese menu? Stupid.

After living in Virginia for awhile, it got so bad that I actually considered Austin Grill and Chevy’s “good.” Now that I’m back in California, they’re back to being just awful.

besser tot als rot on February 24, 2014 at 7:12 PM

I eat at a couple local/non-chain places here..it is just okay.
I hear yah brother. There is nothing like it! I still crave it after all these years. Cali style, baby! I miss those holes in the wall.
I learned to make my own pretty well…had to.

I rarely get out to California, but as I recall it all tasted pretty much the same.

WhatSlushfund on February 24, 2014 at 7:14 PM

Raised in the San Joaquin valley and also lived in Ft. Worth for several years in the 70′s. Mexican food was different in each area & distinctive. In Texas, more sauces, more cheeses, more things wrapped in tortillas & fried and all served on a platter sized plate. Cali Mex was simpler, more traditional, tamales, tacos, enchiladas, rice & beans. A lot less sauces & cheeses overall and about the only fried things I recall were corn tortillas for chips & tacos. Baja Mex seemed mostly the same as Cali Mex to me. During business travel 30 years later however I found it nearly impossible to distinguish Mexican in California from Tex Mex in Texas. They seemed to converge on the same point. The one thing however that stuck out in California was the servers eagerness to foist an abomination upon you called a fish taco. Just typing that makes me gag.

I’ve made this myself before. I’ve also done it with a pancake. Yummy, but not very healthy.

I see there is a debate concerning what label best fits Taco Bell’s version of Mexican. I think it’s a bit silly because TB isn’t any kind of traditional Mexican food. Dorito shells, fried potatoes, Fritos inside burritos. It’s its own thing.

Didn’t realize when I grabbed one last month that Omaha was in a test market. It was pretty good, but predictable. And small. You don’t realize you’re getting an Eggo-sized waffle until you’re holding the taco in your hands.

Maybe the reason that you’re elitist California Mexican food sucks so bad is because in Texas they have the nads to shoot Mexicans that don’t make it right. Whereas you Cali-tards probably just give them “sensitivity training” and hand them more free cash.

It’s basically a Taco Burger, pretty easy to make, just have some burger buns and make some taco mix (like from a taco kit) and use the beef on the bun, then apply taco fixings like lettuce, veggies, and grated cheese…

I work overnight, so my menu is a bit backward. I sometimes go to Jack in the Box in the afternoon for breakfast and in the morning for a burger. Otherwise when I eat out, it’s usually at Waffle House, where they also serve their whole menu all day.

It’s basically a Taco Burger, pretty easy to make, just have some burger buns and make some taco mix (like from a taco kit) and use the beef on the bun, then apply taco fixings like lettuce, veggies, and grated cheese…

Huevos Rancheros and breakfast burritos are quite popular out West. Maybe if TB served real Texican food, they wouldn’t have to use waffles.

earlgrey on February 25, 2014 at 3:15 PM

Very popular. There is a restaurant here called “Tylers Taste Of Texas”, and I love their Hash Huevos Rancheros. Basically a slug of corned beef hash under the eggs, covered in a peppery sauce. Yum.

I don’t expect anything this good from Taco Bell. That isn’t their point. They serve food that is vaguely Mexican quickly and cheaply. Overall, the menu is Ok, and if you have the hankerin’ for Mexican but almost zero time, this place (and Del Taco) serves the need and does it well.

There is one advantage to living near the California/Mexico border, and that is there is any number of decent Mexican food joints for me to choose from. Anything from food trucks (don’t laugh- there are some good ones) to semi-formal sit down restaurants. Without thinking too hard, I can count 5 in a 2 mile radius of home, all of them good.